10 Years Forward: Protecting Our Cities (Part 1)

Hurricane Katrina roared ashore east of New Orleans, but the city wouldn't escape the wrath of the storm. The levees failed and the water poured in. This half-hour special focuses on what measures have been put in place to protect our cities and ourselves. Watch: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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Updated: 6:20 PM CDT Aug 26, 2015

10 Years Forward: Protecting Our Cities (Part 1)

Hurricane Katrina roared ashore east of New Orleans, but the city wouldn't escape the wrath of the storm. The levees failed and the water poured in. This half-hour special focuses on what measures have been put in place to protect our cities and ourselves. Watch: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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Updated: 6:20 PM CDT Aug 26, 2015

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WEBVTT louisiana is bigger than any oneindustry and it's bigger thanany one stakeholdergroup."A SEARCH FOR THE CULPRIT... ANDFOR "SOLUTIONS."THIS IS A SPECIAL PRESENTATIONOF WDSU NEWS... HURRICANEKATRINA: 10 YEARS FORWARD..PROTECTING OUR CITIES.PROTECTING OURSELVES.A WALL OF WATER ... SURGED FROMLAKE PONTCHARTRAIN..FLOODING THE CITY OF NEWORLEANS. MORE THAN 50 LEVEESAND FLOOD WALLS FAILED.. CAVINGTO THE PRESSURE OF HURRICANEKATRINA'S FORCE...IT WAS HERE AT THE 17TH STREETCANAL .. THE LEVEE BROKE..FLOODING LAKEVIEW. GOODEVENING, I'M MARGARET ORR.AND I'M SCOTT WALKER. THECATASTROPHIC FAILURESFLOODED HOMES .. AND CLAIMEDLIVES.IN THE DAYS AFTER HURRICANEKATRINA......THE CORPS MADE EMERGENCYREPAIRS.. THEN MORE PERMANENTSYSTEMS WERE PUT IN PLACE.THE LEVEE SYSTEM BREAKDOWN..PUTS MANY ONEDGE. FOUR OUT OF EVERY TENPEOPLE KILLED IN HURRICANEKATRINA.. DROWNED.WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH A DEEPERLOOK AT WHAT'S BEENDONE TO PROTECT LIFE ANDPROPERTY.. IN SOUTHEASTLOUISIANA." I feel safer now.... they'vebeen doing a lot of work overthere for the pastyear. Makes me feel safe" OVERTHE PAST DECADE THE CORPS OFENGINEERS HAS STRENGTHENED EVERYMILE OF LEVEE, FLOODWALL AND PUMP STATION THATSURROUNDS THE CITY TO PREVENTANOTHER CATASTROPHE LIKEKATRINA. "what we have nowis vastly different and improvedover what we had when hurricanekatrinalanded." THIS 26 FOOT HIGH STORMSURGE BARRIER, THE FIRST LINE OFDEFENSE IS JUST PART OF THE 14.5BILLION DOLLAR HURRICANE ANDSTORM DAMAGE RISK REDUCTIONSYSTEM. UNLIKE THE PRE KATRINAONE, WHICH FAILED, THE NEWSYSTEM SHOULD PERFORM ASDESIGNED. IT WILL PROTECT USFROM A 100 YEAR STORM THAT HAS A1% CHANCE OF HITTING DURING ANYYEAR. "we've got pump stationsand closure structures at thealt fall canals 17th streetorleans aveand london ave canals. so stormsurges can not impact thoseseawalls. THE UPDATED SYSTEMINCLUDES BETTER PROTECTIONAROUND ST. BERNARD, THE LAKEFRONT LEVEE INJEFFERSON AND ORLEANS PARISHESAS WELL AS LEVEEFEATURES IN ST. CHARLES PARISH.HERE YOU CAN SEE THE ARMYCORP OF ENGINEERS ARMORING THELEVEES TOPREVENT THEM FROM FAILING INEXTREME EVENTS."over-topping rates aresomething that we expect tohappen here in an extreme event"BUT THERE ARE STILL CONCERNSWITH THE SYSTEM.THE NEW PUMPING EQUIPMENT WILLNOT BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THERAINFALL IN A 100-YEAR STORM,WHICH COULD BE MORE THAN 13INCHES IN 24 HOURS. STILL THEARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS SAYWE'RE SAFER NOW THEN BEFORE.super col. Richard hansen u.s.Arm corp of engineers. "We wantthe publicto feel confidant that theirlevee districts, the floodprotectionauthority, the state and all thefederal agencies have practicedandgotten ready" BUT TO PROTECT THEMETRO, YOU ALSO HAVE TO SAVE THEWETLANDS. SOURCE: JB 062379SOT: KLINE 20 12 36 21 "onepriority right now is stoppingthe landloss and number." A NUMBER OFSTUDIES SHOW THAT COAST LINESHELP PROVIDE PROTECTION FROMSTORMS. THE WETLANDS ANDBARRIER ISLANDS ARE IMPORTANT TOBREAK THE STORM SURGE ANDPREVENT WAVES FROM CRASHINGDIRECTLY ONTO OUR LEVEES.SINCE HURRICANE KATRINA WE HAVE45 MILES OF NEW LAND FROMBARRIER ISLANDS AND BERMS. BUTIT COMES AT A COST.Source: jb 062321 Sot: 19 44 1709 Bernard Picone Haven't fishedoysters in 5 years at Point A LaHachebecause of the fresh waterdiversion.LOCAL OYSTER FISHERMAN SAY THECHANGES ARE IMPACTING THEIRINDUSTRY..BUT CHIP KLIN THE HEADOF THE COASTALPROTECTION RESTORATION AUTHORITYSAY DIVERSIONS ARENECESSARY. SOT: KLINE 20 11 3500"the crisis we face in coastallouisiana is bigger than any oneindustry andit's bigger than any onestakeholder group." IN THE LAST80 YEARS-THE STATE HAS LOST 1900 HUNDREDSQUARE MILES OF ITSCOASTAL WETLANDS...THE LEVEESALONG THE MISSISSIPPIRIVER PROTECT US FROM RIVERFLOODING, BUT PREVENTSEDIMENT FROM FLOWING INTO THEWETLANDS. "nats break" MORE THAN11 BILLION DOLLARS IN STATE ANDFEDERAL FUNDS HAS BEENSPENT ON HURRICANE RISKREDUCTION WITH ANOTHER 2BILLION EARMARKED FOR COASTALRESTORATION."10:04 we are constantlypreparing making sure we havegenerators and boats in case ofrescue operations and flooding."AFTER KATRINA, MAJORIMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE INDISASTER PREPAREDNESS FROM LOCALAND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.20:00 its 9500 square feetstate of the art now hasseats for 90..we bring in 45agencies at fed and state levelthat's 150-180 people total.A NUMBER NEW OF EMERGENCYOPERATIONS CENTERS WEREBUILT THROUGHOUT THE REGION....INCLUDINGCRITICAL UPDATES TO EOCS LIKETHE ONE IN ORLEANS PARISH.HURRICANE KATRINA ALSO EXPOSEDSERIOUS ANDFUNDAMENTAL FLAWS IN EMERGENCYRESPONSE ANDDISASTER RECOVERY.OVER THE PAST DECADE-- MAJORIMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADEFUNDAMENTAL FLAWS IN EMERGENCYRESPONSE ANDDISASTER RECOVERY.OVER THE PAST DECADE-- MAJORIMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADEIN OUR PREPAREDNESS.THE MOST EXPENSIVE NATURALDISASTER INHISTORY... REQUIRED SOME BIGBUCKS TO REDUCE THE FLOOD RISKFOR SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA.its more than just raising thelevees we have to do here.We have to block the surgeA LOOK AT THOSE UPGRADES.. ANDWHAT'S BEEN DONE TOPROTECT.. THOSE NEIGHBORHOODSTHAT FLOODED IN HURRICANEKATRINA.ENGINEERS SAY THE LEVEE SYSTEMIS MUCH IMPROVED FROM

10 Years Forward: Protecting Our Cities (Part 1)

Hurricane Katrina roared ashore east of New Orleans, but the city wouldn't escape the wrath of the storm. The levees failed and the water poured in. This half-hour special focuses on what measures have been put in place to protect our cities and ourselves. Watch: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3